I stole this recipe for baguettes from a cookbook called Better Homes and Gardens: New Baking Book. This recipe for baguettes is straight forward and easy to follow. Yeast breads can be intimidating, but this recipe is great starter recipe. The dough has to rise twice, but that can be done overnight in the refrigerator so you can take your time. Original recipes makes 4 baguettes, but you can easily cut the recipe in half.
March 21st is National French Bread Day (to see more Food Holidays click National Food Holidays). And I don’t know a more French bread than a baguette.
Did you know? The definition of French bread is: a light, crusty, yeast-raised bread made with water instead of milk. French bread comes in many shapes, including the classic long, thin baguette, rounds and fat ovals.¹ (see more trivia in the Trivia tab)
In a large mixing bowl stir together the 2 ½ cups cool water (70° to 75°) and 2 packages active-dry yeast. I like to do this in a measuring cup to make sure the yeast dissolves. Sometimes the bottom of a large mixing bowl is too wide. Let stand about 3 minutes or until mixture looks creamy.
Add the yeast mixture to a mixing bowl. With a freestanding electric mixer or by hand with a spoon, beat in 3 to 4 cups of flour, a little at a time, mixing on low speed at first and then on medium speed. (This will take about 10 minutes.)
Sprinkle 2 tsp salt over the dough during the last mixing. Using a spoon, stir in as much of remaining flour as you can.
Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough remaining flour to make a stiff dough that is smooth and elastic (8 to 10 minutes). Shape dough into ball.
Place in large greased bowl; turn once. Cover with plastic wrap; let rise in a warm place until double (1 ½ to 2 hours). (Or, cover and refrigerate overnight.)
Punch the dough down.
Knead the dough gently in the bowl just a few strokes. Cover; let rise again until nearly double (45 to 60 minutes in a warm place or 1 ½ hours to 2 hours in refrigerator).
Punch dough down again. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into 4 equal portions. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, grease 4 baguette pans or 2 large baking sheets; set aside.
To shape loaves, work with 1 portion of dough at a time, leaving others covered. Flatten 1 portion with heel of your hand to about 8×4 inch rectangle, pressing out air bubbles as you go.
Bring up long edges; pinch to close seam.
Pat flat again; repeat pinching and stretching to make a 17 inch long loaf that is about 2 inches in diameter. (If dough becomes too bouncy and shrinks back as you work with it, let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes and continue with another portion of dough. The dough will be easier to shape after it rests.)
Place each loaf, seam side down, in a prepared baguette pan or place loaves 3 to 4 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
Cover with kitchen towel; let rise in a warm place until nearly double (45 to 60 minutes).
With a sharp knife or clean razor blade, cut 4 or 5 diagonal slashes in each loaf; about ¼ inch deep. Combine egg white and 2 tablespoons of water; brush on loaves. Dust with additional flour and/or sprinkle with sesame seed or wheat germ.
Place bread in the oven on middle rack. (If you don’t have room to bake all the loaves at once, cover others and place in refrigerator; remove 10 minutes before baking. Repeat heating broiler pan and adding water for each batch). Bake in 450 F oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden and sounds hollow when tap tops. Transfer loaves to wire racks; cool completely. Serve within 12 hours.
Enjoy the warm bread. It’s good enough to eat just fresh out of the oven.
If you do all the rising in the refrigerator, the baguettes bake slightly wider than if you do all the rising the same day.
Baguettes
A homemade recipe for fabulous French baguettes. The smell of freshly baked bread with fill your kitchen.
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups cool water 70° to 75°
- 2 packages active-dry yeast
- 6 to 6 ¾ cups bread flour or unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 egg white
- Toasted sesame seeds and/or toasted wheat germ optional
Instructions
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In a large mixing bowl stir together the cool water and yeast. Let stand about 3 minutes or until mixture looks creamy. With a freestanding electric mixer or by hand with a spoon, beat in 3 to 4 cups of flour, a little at a time, mixing on low speed at first and then on medium speed. (This will take about 10 minutes.) Sprinkle 2 tsp salt over the dough during the last mixing.
-
Using a spoon, stir in as much of remaining flour as you can. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough remaining flour to make a stiff dough that is smooth and elastic (8 to 10 minutes). Shape dough into ball. Place in large greased bowl; turn once. Cover with plastic wrap; let rise in a warm place until double (1 ½ to 2 hours). (Or, cover and refrigerate overnight.)
-
Punch dough down; knead gently in bowl just a few strokes. Cover; let rise again until nearly double (45 to 60 minutes in a warm place or 1 ½ hours to 2 hours in refrigerator). Punch dough down again. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into 4 equal portions. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, grease 4 baguette pans or 2 large baking sheets; set aside.
-
To shape loaves, work with 1 portion of dough at a time, leaving others covered. Flatten 1 portion with heel of your hand to about 8x4 inch rectangle, pressing out air bubbles as you go. Bring up long edges; pinch to close seam. Pat flat again; repeat pinching and stretching to make a 17 inch long loaf that is about 2 inches in diameter. (If dough becomes too bouncy and shrinks back as you work with it, let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes and continue with another portion of dough. The dough will be easier to shape after it rests.) Place each loaf, seam side down, in a prepared baguette pan or place loaves 3 to 4 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Cover with kitchen towel; let rise in a warm place until nearly double (45 to 60 minutes).
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Adjust 2 oven racks so that 1 is in the lowest position and the other is in the middle of the oven. If you want the bread to have an extra-crisp crust, place boiler pan on the bottom oven rack while the oven preheats to 400F. When the pan is hot, carefully pour about 1 cup of hot tap water into the pan in the oven. Be careful of the hot steam.
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With a sharp knife or clean razor blade, cut 4 or 5 diagonal slashes in each loaf; about ¼ inch deep. Combine egg white and 2 tablespoons of water; brush on loaves. Dust with additional flour and/or sprinkle with sesame seed or wheat germ.
-
Place bread in the oven on middle rack. (If you don’t have room to bake all the loaves at once, cover others and place in refrigerator; remove 10 minutes before baking. Repeat heating broiler pan and adding water for each batch). Bake in 450 F oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden and sounds hollow when tap tops. (The water in the broiler pan will evaporate after about 10 minutes of baking time; remove dry pan to avoid warping.) Transfer loaves to wire racks; cool completely. Serve within 12 hours.
Recipe Notes
I cut the recipe in half. The four baguettes would be great for a large gathering. But the two I made was enough for dinner and leftovers.